ARC “Pijao” Submarine of the Colombian Navy will participate in the thirteenth version of the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) operation.
The Colombian Navy’s silent force will test its operational capability by developing evasive and escape maneuvers, silent navigation, and special operations in the depths.
In the middle of a military ceremony, the brave crew of the ARC “Pijao” was bid farewell, which will sail 1500 nautical miles to reach the Mayport Naval Base in the United States to participate for the fifth time in the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative operation, led by the US government.
Colombia, with its submarines ARC “Pijao” and ARC “Tayrona”, since 2004 has participated in nine versions of this naval exercise that aims to establish an interoperable multinational submarine force that allows to increase the tactics, techniques and procedures that guarantee the efficiency in the submarine and antisubmarine combat of the participating navies, among which are Brazil. Canada, Chile, Spain, France, Italy, Peru and United Kingdom.
In this new version of this important multinational scenario, which will be held in waters off the East Coast of the United States and in the inland waters of the Bahamas, in the Caribbean of the Antilles, the ARC “Pijao” will train with Task Forces to contribute to mutual understanding and prevent submarine interference in the region.
These Task Forces will be composed of aircraft carriers, helicopters, cruisers, frigates, Littoral Combat Ship or LCS, aircraft, nuclear submarines and research vessels, which will be deployed in open scenarios under complex geographical, oceanographic and tactical conditions, which becomes a technical and operational challenge to face the stealth and capacity of the ARC submarine “Pijao”, which will improve its operational capabilities in submarine and anti-submarine warfare.
The participation of the Colombian Navy in this important international operation is an opportunity for growth in innovation and technology, with the aim of achieving high standards in the procedures of the field of naval warfare; Because in a changing global scenario with multiple agents that threaten the maritime interests of the region, this exercise becomes the starting point to continue building a maritime power on the basis of teamwork, cooperation and interoperability between nations.